Countersunk head screw

ABSTRACT

A countersunk head screw is provided. The countersunk head screw includes a head attached to or integrally formed with a shank. A thread extends over a partial region of the shank and a portion of the head includes a bearing surface that tapers conically towards the shank. At least one restraint rib is arranged in a top region of the bearing surface turned away or spaced apart from the shank. Additionally, at least one cutting rib is arranged in a lower region of the bearing surface facing or adjacent the shank.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a countersunk head screw with a head, with a shank, and with a thread extending at least partially over the shank, whereby the head, at least in sections, features a bearing surface that tapers conically toward the shank.

2. Discussion

Screws of this kind are known. For example, they may feature a drive groove, such as a slot or a cross recession for engaging the screwdriver. The open end of the shank can be shaped as a point. In particular, we can be dealing with countersunk head screws that have the effect of shaping or cutting a thread into the material into which they are screwed.

When mechanized screw drivers are used, a problem appears in that the screws, short screws such as fitting screws above all, will spin after they have been completely or almost completely screwed in, i.e. they rotate in place without penetrating deeper into the material. This can destroy threads that have been shaped or cut into the material.

It is the objective of the invention, to improve a countersunk head screw of the type described in the introduction, so that the negative occurrences cited above can be prevented.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, a countersunk head screw is provided. The countersunk head screw includes a head connected or integrally formed with a shank. A thread extends at least partially over the shank and a section of the head includes a bearing surface that tapers conically towards the shank. At least one restraint rib is arranged in a top region of the bearing surface turned away or spaced apart from the shank. Additionally, at least one cutting rib is arranged in a lower region of the bearing surface that is facing or adjacent the shank.

The objective of the invention is achieved by arranging restraint ribs in a top region of the bearing surface turned away, or spaced apart, from the shank.

When a screw in accordance with the invention is being screwed in, these restraint ribs cause increased compression of the surface between the screw and the material that it's being screwed into, a fitting's metallic surface for example. This increases the frictional resistance and counteracts the screwdriver's moment of rotation, whereby spinning of the screw can be efficiently prevented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following discussion and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a frontal view of an enlarged representation of a first embodiment of a screw in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is the first embodiment of a screw in accordance with the invention in a view cut along the line II—II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 frontal view of an enlarged representation of a second embodiment of a screw in accordance with the invention; and

FIG 4 is the second embodiment of a screw in accordance with the invention in a view cut along the line IV—IV in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following description of the preferred embodiment is merely exemplary in nature, and is in no way intended to limit the invention or its application or uses.

The same parts are given identical labels in the different figures, so that, as a rule, they will each only be described once.

As shown in FIG. 1, a first embodiment of a countersunk head screw in accordance with the invention features a head 1, a shank 2, and a thread 3 extending at least partially over the shank 2. The head 1, in turn, features a bearing surface 4 that, at least in sections, tapers conically toward the shank 2. Restraint ribs 6 are arranged in a top region 5 of the bearing surface 4 turned away, or spaced apart, from the shank 2.

Four restraint ribs 6 are provided in the illustrated embodiment, but there could be more or fewer, such as two, three, six, etc.

The bearing surface 4, tapering conically toward the shank 2, converges at an angle α of approximately 90° in a first head section 5 a turned away from the shank 2 and, at an angle β of approximately 50° to 65°, in a second section 5 b facing, or adjacent, the shank 2. In this manner, enough room is attained in the head 1 for a cross recession for engaging a screwdriver, in spite of the relatively narrow shape of the head 1. The cross recession is not drawn in detail in FIG. 1, but indicated with dashed lines. The region 5 of the bearing surface 4, in which the restraint ribs 6 are arranged, thereby is the first head section 5 a turned away from the shank 2.

The axial length H_(B) of the region 5 of the bearing surface 4, in which the restraint ribs 6 are arranged, is no longer than approximately 60 percent of an axial length H_(A) of the conically tapering bearing surface 4. The restraint ribs 6 thus only work to advantage after the countersunk head screw in accordance with the invention has been almost completely screwed in. This prevents spinning of the screw and protects turns of the threads that have been shaped or cut into the material.

The longitudinal extents L_(R) of the restraint ribs 6 can, as illustrated, follow surface lines of the bearing surface 4, with their projections P falling on a section of the longitudinal axis X—X of the screw in accordance with the invention which runs through the head 1. In this manner, the effect of the restraint ribs 6, increasing the compression between screw and material, is particularly large.

The thread 3 features an edge 7, which, in its main region, maintains a constant clearance (outer radius A of thread 3), in the shape of a helix, to a section of the screw's longitudinal axis X—X running through the shank 2. The edge 7 of the thread can also feature a decreasing height H_(K) in an end region 8 of the thread 3 facing the head 1. Considering their optimal arrangement for effectiveness, the restraint ribs 6 (as seen in a bottom view or in the cross sectional view shown in FIG. 2) can extend into an annular area, approximately bounded on the outside by the outer radius R_(K) of the head 1, and approximately bounded on the inside by the outer radius A of the thread 3.

There is moreover an additional advantage when the restraint ribs 6 feature a variable height H_(RB) across their longitudinal extent L_(R). In the shown drawing, the height H_(RB) of the restraint ribs 6 extends along the longitudinal extent L_(R) of the restraint ribs 6, starting with a value of zero relative to the bearing surface 4, proceeding in the shape of an arc, and then ending again with a value of zero relative to the bearing surface 4. The maximum value of the height H_(RB) of the restraint ribs 6 relative to the surface 4 can thereby favorably be approximately 0.1 to 0.2 mm, especially when the external radius R_(K) of the head 1 is approximately 4 to 5 mm.

Again referring to FIG. 2, as illustrated, the restraint ribs 6 can each feature two lateral faces 6 a, 6 b of convex shape, in the shape of discus segment in particular. The faces 6 a, 6 b thereby adjoin each other at an edge 6 c, located at their center in particular. On the one hand, a high frictional resistance is thereby attained, especially when screwing in. However a cutting effect from the restraint ribs will be largely avoided, whether screwing or unscrewing a screw in accordance with the invention.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a second embodiment of a countersunk head screw in accordance with the invention. As far as the restraint ribs 6 are concerned, this embodiment does not differ form the first embodiment described above. However, additional cutting ribs 106 have been installed in a lower region 105 of the bearing surface 4 that's facing the shank 2. When a countersunk head screw in accordance with the invention is being screwed in, the cutting ribs 106 will cause material to be removed, whereby an undesired destruction of material can be efficiently prevented, even for a countersunk head screw whose head is larger than that of standard screws.

Six cutting ribs 106 are represented in the illustrated embodiment, but there also could be more or fewer, such as three, four, eight, etc. The desired removal of material, while a screw in accordance with the invention is being screwed in, can be increased or reduced based on the number and design of the cutting ribs 106, and can thereby be adapted to the material.

The region 105 of the bearing surface 4, in which the cutting ribs 106 are arranged, is the second head section 5 b facing the shank 2.

In addition, the cutting ribs 106 extend up into a region 2 a of the shank 2 near the head, where the shank 2 has a radius R_(S) that is larger than a core radius R_(E) of shank 2 in the region 2 b of the thread 3. The cutting ribs 106 are each attached to the shank 2 in the region 2 a near the head, thereby assuring a high mechanical stability for the cutting ribs 106.

The axial length H_(F) of the region 105 of the bearing surface 4, in which the cutting ribs 106 are arranged, is no longer than approximately 60 percent of an axial length H_(A) of the conically tapering bearing surface 4. Moreover, the region 2 a near the head has an axial length H_(T), which can be approximately one third of the axial length H_(F) of region 105 lying within the bearing surface 4. The cutting ribs 106 will preferably thus only work to advantage when the head 1 of the countersunk head screw in accordance with the invention begins to penetrate the material. Material destruction, in the sense of splintering, tearing, or undesired deformation, is thereby prevented.

The longitudinal extents L_(F) of the cutting ribs 106 can, as illustrated, follow surface lines of the bearing surface 4, with their projections falling on a section of the screw's longitudinal axis X—X of the screw in accordance with the invention, which runs through the head 1. In this manner, the milling and scraping effect, which the cutting ribs 106 exercise on the material, is particularly large.

Considering their optimal arrangement for effectiveness, the cutting ribs 106 (as seen in a bottom view or in the cross sectional view shown in FIG. 4) can extend into an annular area, approximately bounded on the outside by the outer radius A of thread 3, and approximately bounded on the inside by the external radius R_(S) of the shank 2 in the region 2 a near the head.

There is moreover an additional advantage when the cutting ribs 106 feature a variable height H_(RF) across their longitudinal extent L_(F). In the shown drawing, the height H_(RF) of the cutting ribs 106 increases along the outside of the longitudinal extents L_(F) of the cutting ribs 106, starting first with a value of zero relative to the bearing surface 4, and then staying approximately constant relative to the bearing surface 4. A steady milling effect is thereby achieved along the longitudinal extent L_(F) of the cutting ribs 106. The maximum value of the height H_(RF) of the cutting ribs 106 relative to the surface 4 can thereby favorably be approximately 0.3 mm, especially when the external radius R_(K) of the head 1 is approximately 4 to 5 mm.

An optimal design for the cutting ribs 106 occurs when, as illustrated in the drawing, they each feature an outline approximately in the shape of a circular segment, wherein the edge 106 a of the segment that's facing the direction of screwing E is designed flat or concave.

The invention is not limited to the described examples, but includes all embodiments that work the same way as the idea of the invention. For example, the number, shape and arrangement of the restraint ribs 6 can deviate from the embodiment described. Thus it can be appropriate, depending on circumstances, that the longitudinal extents L_(R) of the restraint ribs 6 do not, as illustrated, follow surface lines of the bearing surface 4, with their projections P falling on a cross section of the longitudinal axis X—X of the screw in accordance with the invention which runs through the head 1, but (similarly to thread 3) follow a helically shaped path that runs at least partially in the direction of the perimeter.

The foregoing discussion discloses and describes a preferred embodiment of the invention. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from such discussion, and from the accompanying drawings and claims, that changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from the true spirit and fair scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS 1 head 2 shank 2a region of 2 near the head 3 thread 4 bearing surface of 1 5 top region of 4 5a first converging zone of 4 (angle α) 5b second converging zone of 4 (angle β) 6 restraint rib 6a, 6b lateral faces of 6 6c edge between 6a and 6b 7 edge of thread 3 8 end region of 3 105 lower region of 4 106 cutting rib 106a edge of 106 A outer radius of 3 (distance from 7 to X-X) E inward direction of screw H_(A) axial length of 4 H_(B) axial length of 5 H_(F) axial length of 105 in the region of 4 H_(K) height of 7 H_(RB) height of 6 H_(RF) height of 106 H_(T) axial length of 106 in the region of 2a L_(F) longitudinal extent of 106 L_(R) longitudinal extent of 6 P projection of 6 onto X-X R_(E) core radius of 2 R_(K) outer radius of 1 R_(S) radius of 2 in 2a X-X longitudinal axis of screw (through 1 and 2) α convergence angle of 5a β convergence angle of 5b 

I claim:
 1. A countersunk head screw comprising: a head; a shank, said head and said shank extending along a longitudinal axis of said screw; a screw thread extending at least partially over said shank; said head comprising: a top portion that is generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis; a bearing surface that generally tapers inwardly from said top portion toward said shank, said bearing surface having an upper region adjacent to said top portion and a lower region adjacent to said shank, said upper region extending a first distance along said bearing surface; and at least one restraint rib projecting from said upper region of said bearing surface, said at least one restraint rib comprising opposing lateral faces of convex shape adjoining each other at an edge, said edge being centered relative to said opposing lateral faces, said rib extending a second distance along said upper region of bearing surface, said second distance being not greater than said first distance; and wherein said at least one restraint rib increases the frictional resistance of said head to rotation in either direction about said longitudinal axis of said screw without removing material from a substrate to which said screw is applied.
 2. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 1, wherein said top region of said bearing surface has an axial length and said conically tapering bearing surface has an axial length, said axial length of said top region of said bearing surface being no longer than approximately 60% of said axial length of said conically tapering bearing surface.
 3. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 1, wherein said thread has an edge and said head has an outer radius, said edge having a constant outer radius along at least a section of said shank, said at least one restraint rib located on an annular area, said annular area being approximately bounded on the outside by said outer radius of said head and approximately bounded on the inside by said outer radius of said edge.
 4. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one restraint rib has a longitudinal extent, said at least one restraint rib having a variable height across said longitudinal extent.
 5. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 4, wherein said variable height of said at least one restraint rib extends along said longitudinal extent of said at least one restraint rib starting with a value of zero relative to said bearing surface, proceeding in the shape of an arc, and ending with a value of zero relative to said bearing surface.
 6. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 4, wherein said variable height of said at least one restraint rib has a maximum value, said maximum value of said variable height of said at least one restraint rib is approximately 0.1 to 0.2 mm relative to said bearing surface.
 7. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 4, wherein said head has an external radius and said variable height of said at least one restraint rib has a maximum value, said maximum value of said variable height of said at least one restraint rib is approximately 0.1 to 0.2 mm relative to said bearing surface and said external radius of said head is approximately 4 to 5 mm.
 8. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one restraint rib is selected from the group consisting of 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 restraint ribs.
 9. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 1, wherein said upper region of said bearing surface converges at an angle of approximately 90° and said lower region of said bearing surface converges at an angle of approximately 50° to 65°.
 10. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one cutting rib is arranged in said lower region of said bearing surface.
 11. A countersunk head screw comprising a head and a shank, a thread extending at least partially over said shank, at least a section of said head having a bearing surface that tapers conically toward said shank, and at least one restraint rib arranged in a top region of said bearing surface turned away from said shank, at least one cutting rib arranged in a lower region of said bearing surface and facing said shank, said thread having an outer radius and said shank having an external radius, said at least one cutting rib located on an annular area, said annular area being approximately bounded by said outer radius of said thread and approximately bounded by said external radius of said shank.
 12. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 11, wherein said lower region of said bearing surface has an axial length and said conically tapering bearing surface has an axial length, said axial length of said lower region of said bearing surface is no longer than approximately 60 percent of said axial length of said conically tapering bearing surface.
 13. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 11, wherein said at least one cutting rib has a projection, said at least one cutting rib following a surface line of said bearing surface, said projection falling on a section of a longitudinal axis running through said head.
 14. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 11, wherein said at least one cutting rib has an overall outline and an edge, at least a segment of said overall outline being approximately circular in shape, said edge being flat and extending from said segment.
 15. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 11, wherein said at least one cutting rib has a longitudinal extent, said at least one cutting rib having a variable height across said longitudinal extent.
 16. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 15, wherein said variable height of said at least one cutting rib increases along said longitudinal extent of said at least one cutting rib starting with a value of zero relative to said bearing surface and then staying approximately constant relative to said bearing surface.
 17. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 16, wherein said variable height of said at least one cutting rib has a maximum value, said maximum value of said variable height of said at least one cutting rib relative to said bearing surface is approximately 0.3 mm.
 18. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 16, wherein said variable height of said at least one cutting rib has a maximum value, said maximum value of said variable height of said at least one cutting rib relative to said bearing surface is approximately 0.3 mm and said external radius of said head is approximately 4 mm to 5 mm.
 19. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 11, wherein said at least one cutting rib is selected from the group consisting of 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 cutting ribs.
 20. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 11, wherein said bearing surface has a first head region and a second head region, said at least one cutting rib being arranged in said second head region facing said shank.
 21. The countersunk head screw as recited in claim 11, wherein said at least one cutting rib has an overall outline and an edge, at least a segment of said overall outline being approximately circular in shape, said edge being concave and extending from said segment. 